[I see my red door and I want it painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up
When your whole world is black]
--- Lyrics to 'Paint It Black' by the Rolling Stones and Performed by Mig Ayesa
A Silver Lining Part 33
"A child?" the tall assassin chuckled deeply as he looked over the picture handed to him. "Is this some sort of joke?"
Tim's grey eyes narrowed as he replied shortly, "This is not a joke. That child unknowingly holds a great deal of data that would destroy the organization if it got into the wrong hands."
At that announcement, the assassin's dark eyed widened as he straightened and nodded, "I see." His lips curled up in a menacing smile as he gestured to the five armed men and women standing a few feet behind him. "No need to worry about that ever happening. My team will keep her from slipping from your grasp the way that one agent had not long ago."
Looking up at the tall man with new interest, Tim tilted his head and asked, "How much of that mission do you know of? I never received any details on why Terry wanted Agent Sleet killed. I had offered him a tip that she may be helpful in knowing where the Gundam pilots were, but I saw no reason to why she needed to be disposed of."
Quickly taking a glance over his shoulder to see his accomplices were out of earshot, the large man turned back to face the agent before smirking, "Terry had called me to join in that mission, but I was out working for another client, so I couldn't join. That fool had left behind a disk of reports he had saved for his own reference. He wanted that woman taken out in case she decided to take a peak at what it had."
Instantly, a chill ran down Tim's spine and he could feel his skin paling. "And Angie got out with that disk. She's one of the best decoders the Preventers have to offer. If she's been working on that deciphering card, it wouldn't take long to learn that the girl we're after is right under their noses."
Shaking his head, the dirty agent ordered, "I waited long enough for you to assemble your team. You have to get to that orphanage now. For all we know, we might already be too late if those damned pilots already found out about that girl."
The tall man, seemingly unbothered by the possibility, shrugged, "I have five more of my men scouting the area surrounding the orphanage. If there was any sign of trouble, I would have been contacted. And if we should run into those Preventers, we'll handle the problem"
Once more, the mercenary's lips tugged up into a dark grin as he commented, "I almost hope we do run into those pilots. It would prove more interesting than just kidnapping a helpless child."
In the moonlight, the many weapons on the mercenary's belt shimmered with the movement of his chest in his deep chuckle. "You have nothing to worry about in this," he stated firmly. "The team that Terry had picked was careless. We won't make the same mistakes that they had." He turned to go join the others as he called, "You'll have that little girl before dawn."
Folding his arms, Tim replied, "Well, I am going to be there, watching nearby to be certain of that. I had been trusted to carry out this mission, and I am going to be on hand to see that nothing goes wrong."
With a deep growl, the nameless man turned on his heels to face the smaller young man and hissed, "We do not need a babysitter. If you wish to come along, you'll be taking part in the mission along with us. Otherwise, stay the hell out of our way."
At that statement, Tim's eyes widened. This was not what he had planned at all. He wanted to lay low, overlooking the affair without running the risk of being identified by someone at the orphanage. And the possibility of the Gundam pilots being hot on his heels was certainly unnerving to say the least. As much as he would have preferred to not go to the orphanage at all, he feared what would happen should anything go wrong.
Finally, the dirty agent nodded firmly, "Fine. If it's the only way that I can be there first-hand, I'll go in along with your team. But what if someone should be able to identify us?"
"Oh," the tall man smirked, "No need to worry about that. You of all people should know that we are quite resourceful of covering our tracks." Raising an eyebrow, he commented, "I also understand that you are quite... experienced in explosives."
Tim's grey eyes widened a moment. Slowly, a lopsided grin pulled at his face as he chuckled darkly, "I believe that we are going to get along quite well, my friend."
* * * * * *
"Time's wasting, everyone!" Zechs called up to the second level of the safe house, his bullet-proof vest already secured on him as he secured his weapons into his belt. Just behind the blonde man, Noin finished checking her own equipment before looking up to the stairwell.
Everything had become a blur of activity the instant that Relena had announced her discovery. Now knowing that Rachel was a match in being the bearer of a communication card, there was no mention needed to how vital it was to reach her before anyone else did. Thankfully, Lady Une had supplied the group with new vests and a variety of guns for weapons to be used on a moment's notice.
The first to run down the stair, Trowa finished shouldering on his own vest and closed it in the front. The determination in his green eyes and etched on his face spoke enough of his readiness to protect the little girl that he had rescued from the White Out Organization once before. Heero, Duo, Wufei, Sally, Scott and Angie were close behind their tall friend in the midst of their own preparation and checks.
In spotting the dark-haired Preventer in her preparations for the task at hand, Wufei commented, "I thought that you preferred to stay away from 'the field'."
Cocking a pistol, Angie's face was etched in grin determination as she replied, "I was robbed of my chance to repay Kent for what he did for me. I would hate to have him in whatever hell he was sent to without company, should anyone that is working for his cause be at the orphanage." With a smirk of respect, the Chinese pilot nodded firmly.
"I found the phone number for the orphanage and all of the back road maps to take," Noin announced. "On the way there, I'm going to see if I can't wake someone in charge up to alert them of what is going on."
Scott finished buckling his belt of weapons and nodded, "Not a bad idea, considering how we may be running into some unwanted company."
Relena stepped into the room with Quatre close behind as she frowned deeply, "Shouldn't Lady Une be contacted about what is going on?"
Shaking his head, Heero finished his check of protection as he replied sharply, "No time. We have to go now." His voice softened in realizing how harsh that had sounded as he suggested, "If you could take care of that call while we're off, that would be a help."
A relieved smile fell on the politician's face as she nodded her blonde head in appreciation to be able to assist somehow. Silently Relena marveled once more at the changes in the ex-Wing pilot. Duo certainly had worked wonders on his demeanor.
Trowa's green eyes widened in finding his lover making her way down the stairs with a vest in hand and a couple of pistols in the other. "Anna," he sighed deeply, as he approached while thinking of the best way to discourage her from joining without causing an argument.
Looking up, Anna smirked at her lover, "Don't worry, I know I'm not up for this one." With a gesture of her head, she stated, "Quatre asked for my things." His green eyes widening, her tall partner snapped his head the Arabian standing in the living room doorway.
Her own eyes widening, Relena turned to her fiancé with a worried, "Quatre?" Anna had already reached the pair as she began handing over her equipment. Her right hand drifted up to run itself over her swollen belly in a nervous fashion.
As he secured the weapons at the utility belt handed over, Quatre met his lover's gaze and explained, "This is not a recovery like the last mission. There are a lot of children in danger and the more able agents there the better." Biting her lip, the young politician nodded in reluctant agreement.
With a pat on her Arab's friend back once the bullet-proof vest was on, Anna winked, "Quat, as far as I'm concerned in my biased opinion, you've got the best of the equipment that anyone could have loaned to you. This vest got me through a shit load of trouble ever since I joined the Preventers, so it'll take good care of you, Quat."
Smiling gratefully, Quatre replied sincerely, "Thank you, Anna." His smile faded a bit as he leaned in and requested quietly, "Take care of Relena and our little one while I'm gone."
"Of course," the redheaded agent vowed in firm resolve. With that, she allowed the pair a moment alone to bid their farewells and turned to her own lover. Sighing deeply, she made a spot check that his vest and weapons were secured before saying softly, "Don't do anything stupid out there."
Trowa smiled warmly at his partner's attempt to lighten the grim mood around them and reassured her, "I'll be careful." Using one arm, he pulled her close and into a fierce kiss.
Zechs' voice took command once more as he shouted, "All right! Let's move out!" Swinging the door open, he led the group as they quickly filed from the house. Before joining the others, Trowa kissed Anna soundly once more while Quatre did the same to Relena and her swollen stomach. As they followed their friends' heels, the door was slammed closed behind them.
In minutes, the engines of the cars roared just outside of the house. Yuuki walked up to the two wound women standing out in the main entrance and started whining quietly. With a warm smile, Anna bent down to run her hand over the pup's head reassuringly as she whispered, "Don't worry. Heero and Duo will be back with the others soon."
When she straightened, the red-haired pilot noticed Relena walking over to the window. Together, the two young women watched as the cars peeled from the driveway and down the dirt road until their tail lights disappeared in the cover of trees.
"I hope that he'll be all right," Relena breathed, frowning deeply in worry.
Gently resting a hand around her friend's shoulder, Anna grinned, "Quatre's a Gundam pilot, Lena."
When the politician turned to her to protest, the redhead raised her hand and explained, "Boys will be boys and Gundam pilots will always be Gundam pilots. They may not have the metal suits anymore, but no one can take away what they are. It's in their blood to handle themselves in any situation."
With a gentle squeeze of the smaller young woman's shoulders, Anna winked, "He'll be fine."
At last, a small smile spread on Relena's face and she nodded, "You're right, Anna." She reached up to squeeze the hand on her shoulder as she whispered, "Thank you. Sometimes I forget how strong that mild-mannered, soft-spoken lover of mine can be."
Her blue eyes widening, the blonde young woman gasped, "I almost forgot! I have to get a hold of Lady Une."
Nodding, Anna replied, "You go take care of that while I start some tea. If we're going to be up waiting for the others, we might as well get to enjoy our rare time alone to girl talk."
As her friend walked down the hall, her leg brace clicking with each movement, Relena smiled to herself in gratitude of having someone around that would understand and help lighten her spirits. Quickly, she turned on her own heels to return to the living room. Taking up the phone, she dialed and only had to wait a couple of rings before the call was answered.
"Hello," the familiar voice answered.
Taking a deep breath, the blonde young woman responded, "Lady Une, it's Relena. I'm sorry to have to call you at home so late, but something has come up."
At the introduction, there was a noticeable change in the Commander's voice as it took on an alert, authoritative tone when she stated more than asked, "A match was found when you compared those lists."
"Yea," Relena answered, biting her lip. "I'm afraid it's a great deal more complicated than just that. The match was in a little girl that is located at Saint Peter's Orphanage, several miles from here. The others went off to recover her."
On the other end of the line, Lady Une was already turning on her computer in her small office. "I'll see that the authorities in the area are contacted. Zechs would know to take the back roads to avoid being discovered. I'll have those routs blocked off. Did either you or Quatre call the orphanage to let them know what's going on?"
Swallowing hard, the young politician replied, "Noin did mention that she will be reaching the orphanage on the way there. Quatre is off with the others. Anna and I are the only ones here at the safe house."
Her brown eyes widening at that announcement, the Commander masked her surprise as she nodded, "I see. All things considered, I'm glad to know that everyone that was able to help is working on this recovery."
The directory on Lady Une's monitor filled the screen, mapping out the area surrounding Saint Peter's Orphanage. Highlighting the lesser used roads that led there from the safe house, she announced, "I found the way that they would be taking, so I will give that information to the authorities there. From there out, it'll be a matter of waiting to hear back from the others."
Relena ran her free hand over her stomach and frowned deeply, "I just wish that there was more than I could do to help, other than sitting and waiting."
With a small smile, the Commander reassured her, "All things considered, you handled yourself beautifully in contacting me with everything I needed. All you should worry about now is seeing that you relax and not stress yourself, for your baby's sake. We don't even know if anyone from White Out is aware of this girl. He just knows better to act on the side of caution."
The tall woman's fingers typed furiously over her keyboard as she continued, "Even if there were a risk involved, you know Quatre better than anyone. He'll see to it that he returns safely to you and your child."
Feeling a small kick against her hand from her baby and knowing the truth in the words of support offered to her, Relena couldn't help but feel a bit better as she smiled to herself. "Thank you, Lady Une." Her blue eyes widening, she asked, "What of the children that will still be at the orphanage once Rachel is safe?"
As she rose from her desk, Lady Une answered, "I'm already on that. I'll have three teams assembled with trucks to have everyone in the building moved to a new location. I'll contact the others to let them know to pass the word on."
With a quick glance to her watch the Commander stated, "I have quite a few loose ends that I need to tie up here. As soon as I'm finished, I'll be heading over to the safe house."
"Okay," Relena nodded. "We'll see you soon then." With a quick salutation from the two young women, they disconnected.
Anna arrived carrying a tray just as the call ended. As she and her friend sat across from each other, the red-haired Preventer poured the first cup of tea and carefully handed it over to her friend.
Yuuki decided at that moment to jump onto the couch to lie beside Relena, as if knowing that the young woman somehow needed some company. Her smile returning, the blonde young woman reached with her free hand to gently pat the furry pup.
As she sat back with her own cup of tea, Anna grinned, "Now, considering how we're about to have a new addition to the family in a little about two months, have you and Quatre decided on any names."
Her smile growing a bit at the realization that she was about to become a mother in such a short time, and in her renewed appreciation for the redhead's attempts to take her mind off her fears, Relena answered, "Quatre and I came up with a name for a boy and a girl."
A thin eyebrow raised over Anna's sapphire gaze as she finished taking a sip from her cup. "Really?" she cheered excitedly. Were the Preventer a cat at that moment, Relena imagined that her tail would have been swaying a mile a minute at that moment. The mental image made her fight the urge to laugh, spitting out the tea in her mouth.
"If you wanted to let the cat out of the bag, I promise not to tell any of the others," Anna sputtered quickly.
The timing of the 'cat' comment along with the mental image was all too much for Relena as she quickly finished her mouthful and burst out laughing. Tilting her head and blinking in confusion, her friend inquired, "What's so funny?"
Relena continued to laugh as she waived her free hand and shook her head, "Nothing." As she settled herself again, the politician smiled warmly, "You know, since coming to the place and getting to have a chance to spend time with you, I've a better understanding on what it would have been like to have a sister."
At that, Anna returned the warm smile and nodded, "I know what you mean. Being on only child, I never knew what I was missing out in not having a sibling to talk to."
With a mischievous smirk, Relena sank back into the couch, her teacup and small plate in both hands. "All right," she began. "We weren't going to tell anyone the names until the birth, but I'll hold you to your promise."
Quickly lowering her own cup and plate back onto the table, Anna pulled her legs up to her chest with a wide, anxious grin as she reassured, "My lips are sealed."
Chuckling deeply, Relena nodded, "Well, it wasn't an easy choice sine there were a few names we liked. But we decided on..."
* * * * * *
"Come on," Noin growled deeply as she waited once more for someone to pick up on the other line. This being her third attempt at reaching someone, she was beginning to fear the worst. Zechs took his focus from the road to watch his wife from the corner of his eye for a moment. Meeting his gaze, the young woman kept the cell phone to her ear as she frowned deeply in concern.
At the Saint Peter's Orphanage, one of the nuns working there hurriedly opened the office door to answer the insistent ringing. With the children all tucked away in bed, she was quite miffed that whomever was calling did not just leave a message for them to respond to first thing the next morning.
Tucking her graying hair behind an ear, she turned on the closest lamp and moved to the desk and placed the phone to her ear. Recalling her vow of patience, she smiled and greeted quietly, "Saint Peter's Orphanage. I am sorry that you have reached us after hours, but I am afraid that-"
The rest of her words cut off when a young woman on the other line all but shouted, "This is Agent Fire of the Preventers. This is a matter of great urgency."
Her brown eyes widening, the nun slowly lowered into the chair behind her. "Y-yes, Agent Fire. This is Sister Grace. How can I help you?"
With a deep sigh of relief, Noin lowered her head in a silent prayer whomever was listening that there was no cause for alarm. Her voice calming, she replied, "There has been a recent development in our investigation of the people responsible for having captured the children that are in your charge. Is Rachel Johnson still in your care?"
Placing a have over her chest, Sister Grace nodded, "Why yes, she is. She and the other children are sleeping now."
Nodding to herself, Noin responded, "We have reason to believe that she is going to play a large role in our bringing these criminals to justice. I am with a large team of agents and we are on our way to take her into protection with us as we continue the search."
"Oh that poor child," the nun whispered to herself. "She's been through so much already," Suddenly, a cold chill of realization ran down her spine as she straightened. "Are these people that you're after aware that she would be so valuable to finding them?"
Noin licked her lips and chose her words carefully as not to start a panic. Finally, she answered coolly, "I am not going to lie to you, Sister Grace. Rachel will not stay unnoticed where they are concerned.
"Recent developments spared us time and a means of learning her importance, ourselves. I don't want to frighten you when there may not be a need for concern tonight, but we have to take precautions."
Biting her lip, Sister Grace asked quietly, "If we were in danger... would these people hurt the children?"
Noin closed her eyes, again carefully mapping out her response. "From personal experience in dealing with these monsters first-hand," she began slowly as she opened her eyes, "I have to tell you, in all honesty, they will stop at nothing to get what they want."
At that, the nun swallowed hard and replied, "I understand." Rising to her feet, it took a moment for her to straighten her trembling legs.
There was a brief silence on the line before the Preventer stated, "Again, I don't want you to panic. Chances are that this will be a simple recovery. There will be another team, with trucks, to move you all of your charges from the orphanage not far behind us to move you to a new, safe location where you can continue your services."
Her courage returning and resolved to her cause, Sister Grace questioned in a clear voice, "What shall we do until then?"
Deep within the woods just beyond Saint Peter's, a black-gloved hand held the receiver that had been tapped into the phone line to an ear. The other gloved hand moved with a pair of pliers to the cord.
"First and foremost, keep everyone inside until we arrive. My team and I will show our badges and until you see them, don't let anyone in. We're about twenty minutes away from the where you are," Noin answered. "If you could have Rachel ready with her belongings-" The sound of a sudden click filled her ears followed by a dead silence.
Pulling the phone from her ear and quickly replacing it with wide eyes, Noin called urgently, "Hello? Sister Grace?" After a long pause, the disconnection buzzing was her only response. Closing the cell phone with a forceful smack, she screamed, "Goddamn it!"
Trowa leaned forward his head forward from the back seat, his emerald eyes filled with concern. Before he, Heero or Duo- at either side of him- could ask, Noin yelled in frustration, "Someone cut the line!"
* * * * * *
The tall mercenary answered his ringing cell phone after freeing one hand from the steering wheel. "This is Logan," he greeted in his deep voice.
"Seems we're going to have company," the familiar voice of one of his accomplice on the other line announced, the smile ringing in his tone.
Chuckling deeply, Logan asked, "Any word on their ETA?"
His teammate responded, "About twenty minutes."
Logan smirked, "Good. We'll beat them by more than ten." Glancing over at a nervous looking Tim in the passenger seat, his dark grin spread further along his chiseled face. " And we'll have one of their own to smile at them as we take them out."
Sinking in his seat, Tim looked out his window as he swallowed hard. He didn't need to hear the other end of the conversation to know the focus of the discussion, or who's ETA Logan was inquiring.
... So it was going to come down to a race after all.
TBC...
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